Select date and participants:

Escape Bogota’s accelerated city rhythm and travel to a place frozen in time: Villa de Leyva

Walk around the Plaza Mayor, and have a coffee at one of the many bars and restaurants

Ponder and awe, as you walk along the stone streets bordered by white washed colonial buildings with rustic wooden doors and windows

Discover the history of the Muisca observatory known as El infiernito (little hell) and learn why Spaniards named it that way

Take in the scenic landscape made possible by the Blue Ponds, making a beautiful contrast with the arid vegetation

Ask anout different options for this tour

Overview

You will hardly find a place in Colombia that takes architectonic preservation as seriously as Villa de Leyva. This small village gives the feeling that it has been frozen in time thanks to the way its residences have been preserved.

What to Expect

This small village is located in the department of Boyacá, more or less 3 hours drive from Bogotá. Spanish colonists founded it in 1572, and visiting it gives a feeling that it's been frozen in time thanks to the way its residences have been preserved as national monuments. The colonial village was established around the enormous Plaza Mayor. This cobbled main square has a surface of 14.000 m2 and borders with old houses adapted as shops, restaurants, hotels and of course a church. Wander through the nearby streets and let yourself be swept off your feet by the charm of the narrow stone streets and white-washed façades with rustic wooden doors. Breathe the fresh air of this quaint village nestled between mountains, and find the perfect souvenir in one of the many handicraft shops.

Next you will go to El infiernito (little hell), an ancient Muisca shrine used to calculate the correct time for harvest. You will see the blue ponds, a water reservoir made by farmers, who surprisingly turned the water’s color into a vivid blue, giving a beautiful contrast to the arid vegetation around them. Optionally, you can visit the 7 meter long fossil of the Koranosaurius; a predator raptor that lived 120 million years ago.

Although Villa de Leyva is small, it allows for all kinds of trips for travelers. Activities can vary from hiking to natural parks like Iguaque, buggy races, horseback riding, bird watching to archaeological sites, museums and historical buildings. As there is so much to do here, it's recommended you stay at least one night here. You will return to Bogotá via Ráquira. This picturesque village has become famous due to its long tradition of pottery work, and is a perfect place to make a stop on the way back.

• We strongly suggest considering taking a 1 or 2 night trip given the destination's remote location
• The visit to Ráquira depends on the state of the road when you are there
• Tour order may be modified by weather factors